


Who Will Finish Your Story?

by Jaded_Girl_83



Category: The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: Gen, Missing Scene, Mousai, Muses, comedy and tragedy, theatre meta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-01
Updated: 2020-02-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:15:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22411624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaded_Girl_83/pseuds/Jaded_Girl_83
Summary: Missing moment vignette taking place immediately post-The Hidden Oracle. Because I am Muse trash.
Comments: 8
Kudos: 30





	Who Will Finish Your Story?

**Author's Note:**

> I am physically incapable of not inserting gratuitous Muse cameos into any classical mythology-related setting. And seeing as they are always hanging around Apollo and Apollo is the main character of this particular series, well, I just couldn’t let that pass, could I? Brief and basic refresher course:
> 
> Calliope: Muse of Epic Poetry  
> Clio: Muse of History  
> Erato: Muse of Love Poetry/Lyric Poetry  
> Euterpe: Muse of Music/Lyric Poetry  
> Melpomene: Muse of Tragedy  
> Polyhymnia: Muse of Religious Hymns  
> Terpsichore: Muse of Dance  
> Thalia: Muse of Comedy  
> Urania: Muse of Astronomy

_Feeling very bummed_  
_Drown sorrows in Hollywood_  
_Come and meet the twins_

I’ve had, to put it mildly, a rough winter.

The first and primary indignity was to be stripped of my godhood and unceremoniously stuffed into the pimply, flabby body of a mortal. A mortal named Lester Papadopoulos, to name the second indignity. And while these outrages would have been enough to shake the whole world to its foundations, the Fates saw fit to plague me with hardships and trials that have so far culminated in my betrayal at the hands of my friend-slash-temporary-master Meg McCaffrey. As if that wasn't enough, I have the more-than-sneaking suspicion that my life is going to get, if possible, _even worse._

Oh, did I mention that I am the god Apollo? Normally I would start with that important piece of information, but as I’ve indicated, I’ve been somewhat off my game lately.

At any rate, I was about to embark on a dangerous mission to stop some Roman emperors with delusions of godhood, accompanied by only a demigod and a goddess-turned-mortal. And a metal dragon. I was looking forward to that about as much as you might imagine; in fact, I was so out-of-sorts that my daughter Kayla suggested the three of us take a quick trip to the local cinema to take my mind off of things. And also something called team building? Whatever _that_ was, I admit I was looking forward to watching anyone other than myself try and survive explosions, danger, and general mayhem.

We arrived at the multiplex, where I graciously allowed Leo Valdez to pay for my ticket. As he handed me my stub, his eyes suddenly lit up. “Oh my gods! Calypso, you’ve been stuck on Ogygia how long?”

Her face twitched with exasperation. “Centuries.”

Leo grabbed her shoulders, looking at her intently. “You know what that means, don’t you? You’ve never had Junior Mints! Or Hot Tamales! Or Twizzlers! Or buttered popcorn!” He grabbed her hand and marched her over to the concession stand, where he proceeded to order one of every option over Calypso’s objections. I shook my head at the spectacle, then froze as I heard a familiar-sounding chortle.

“Don’t laugh,” another familiar voice reproved. “Never having tasted Junior Mints is a tragedy.”

I slowly turned around. Two young women loitered at the hallway leading to the various theaters, perched atop a decorative half-wall and watching me unblinkingly. One was dressed in jean shorts and a sweater knitted in a dizzying array of bright colors, loudly smacking her chewing gum as she drummed her red converse against the wall. The other sat with her hands folded neatly over her lap, her long black skirt and elegant charcoal turtleneck somewhat at odds with the heavy combat boots she wore. I took a deep breath and walked over to them. “Thalia. Melpomene.”

“Lord Apollo,” Melpomene returned with a smile.

Thalia grinned and popped a huge bubble. “Hiya, boss.”

I shifted awkwardly; they and their sisters were used to seeing me as a peerless specimen of godhood, and now I was… Lester. “I was under the impression that Zeus had forbidden me any divine aid.”

Melpomene managed a believable display of innocence. “But our aid isn’t given to the gods. Our gifts are for mortals.” She gave my new body a significant look.

“We’re only doing our job; Zeus certainly can’t blame us for that,” Thalia grinned wickedly, obviously knowing better than to attempt a display of innocence.

The scent of buttered popcorn wafted up from behind me as my companions approached. “Muses,” I heard Calypso breathe.

“Muses?” Leo echoed in confusion.

I turned to face them. “Nine sisters, daughters of Zeus and the titaness Mnemosyne, goddess of Memory. The Muses are the goddesses of the arts and sciences, and were my personal retinue when I lived on Olympus.” I swept a hand towards my visitors. “Allow me to introduce the twins; Melpomene, Muse of Tragedy, and Thalia, the Muse of Comedy.” 

The muses hopped down from the half wall and gave their audience expertly synchronized curtsies. “Twins?” Leo frowned. “Are you guys really- oh wait, nevermind. I see it.”

Technically, the muses are nonuplets, with Calliope born first. But even among the tight-knit sisters, these two were referred to as twins because they were almost inseparable and the only ones with identical faces. I could certainly understand Leo's initial confusion, though. Both young women sported dark hair, but Melpomene’s hung long and straight while Thalia’s was haphazardly pinned back with an assortment of mismatched barrettes. Thalia’s black eyes twinkled with mischief, while Melpomene’s were deep and solemn. Both were slim and tall, but Thalia buzzed with barely-contained energy; Melpomene moved with a graceful languor. They shared an identical aquiline nose, but on Melpomene’s face it looked noble and patrician, whereas on Thalia… well, it made her look like comic-relief-character-number-three in every other sitcom known to the cosmos.

But then Thalia would suddenly become serious, or Melpomene would smile, and the two would become indistinguishable. There were traces of each in the other, shifting back and forth between the individuals. 

I continued. “Muses, allow me to introduce my companions. This is-”

“Leo Valdez,” Thalia greeted with a smirk.

Leo blinked. “Hi.” His expression shifted from uncertain to downright nonplussed. “Uh… Huh. That’s… that’s weird. I know we’ve never met, but your voice sounds really familiar for some reason.”

Thalia’s smirk widened. “It ought to; I whisper in your ear often enough. Who do you think inspires all your zingers and delightful one-liners?”

Leo’s jaw dropped, but the twins had moved on. “Lady Calypso,” Melpomene bowed her head in greeting.

“Oh, let’s not stand on ceremony,” Calypso said with a wry smile. “We’re practically cousins.”

“Second cousins, if I remember correctly. Or is it cousin once removed?” Thalia said, tapping her finger against her mouth.

Melpomene shrugged. “Clio would know; you can ask her when we get home.” She returned her attention to Calypso. “I was so happy to hear about your release,” she continued, her smile flattening somewhat. “Your story was getting ridiculous.”

Leo crossed his arms. “I thought you liked sad stories. You’re the goddess of tragedy, after all.”

“Watch it!” Thalia growled.

Melpomene sighed. “Thalia, it’s-”

“No it’s _not_ okay!” the other retorted, whirling on her twin. “I’m tired of people blaming you all the time!”

“Well _I’m_ tired of intellectuals not taking your art seriously, but you don’t hear me yelling about it.”

“You were yelling about that three days ago!” Thalia’s stormy expression cracked as laughter bubbled up from under the surface. “And did you just say that comedy should be taken seriously?”

Melpomene fought back a giggle, unsuccessfully. “Fine. Allow me to clarify. I’m tired of intellectuals not _respecting_ your art.” She turned back to Leo. “And another clarification- true tragedy has purpose. It allows catharsis, and it _teaches_. I can’t stand pointless tragedy; it’s nothing but an excuse to indulge in misery. Calypso’s tragedy had gone on too long. Continuing her sentence like that- forgetting her, abandoning her- was needlessly cruel and uncaring.” Her eyes flashed with a Thalia-like twinkle. “I was more than happy to turn her story over to my twin.”

Calypso cocked her head to the side. “You work together? Isn’t that a problem?”

The twins shook their heads. “We need each other,” Thalia said. “Mel inspires me with compassion and wisdom. Without her, I become frivolous. Or cruel.”

“And Thalia gives me hope,” Melpomene smiled at her sister. “Without her energy, I give in to despair and never move forward.”

“I guess that makes sense, sort of,” Leo frowned, scratching his head.

“It’s like that line from that modern writer, Shakespeare,” Calypso mused. “‘With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage-’”

“ ** _WILLIAM!!!_** ” both muses shrieked, drawing out his name as if they were an entire auditorium of fangirls.

Thalia grabbed two fistfuls of my shirt and jerked me three steps towards her. “Oh my gods, boss, that is the _hottest_ kid you have _ever_ had!”

“He was the most amazing, incredible, talented-” Melpomene gushed.

I sighed and managed to detach myself, throwing an apologetic glance at my very worried-looking companions. “Sorry about that; they might be like that for a while. When William was born, I foresaw that he would be incredibly talented in the language arts. Naturally there was a risk of some ugly competition, so I made the muses swear by the River Styx that they wouldn’t fight over him.” I grimaced. “It perhaps worked a bit _too_ well. They fell over themselves trying to bless him, but all at the same time.”

“We were his favorites, though,” Melpomene interjected possessively.

“Yeah, no matter what Erato, Clio, and Calliope say,” Thalia agreed.

“Yeah, definitely no sense of competition here,” Leo snarked.

“Ooh, sarcasm!” Thalia chirped, clapping her hands. “Sarcasm was our best invention!”

“It acknowledges difficulties but refuses to let said difficulties master you!” Melpomene added with pedantic enthusiasm.

“Girls!” I said, clapping my hands to recapture their attention before I lost it irrevocably. Muses are hard to keep on-track. “I believe you had a reason for being here? I... don’t suppose you can tell me what’s in store for me,” I hedged.

The twins exchanged a long, silent look. “We don’t know,” Thalia finally admitted, uncharacteristically serious. “No one knows how your story will end. You're still writing it."

Mel continued softly. “Remember, we're the offspring of Memory; we don't tell the future, we tell the story.”

My shoulders sagged as a wave of despair engulfed me. But I was buoyed up by a sudden blaze of anger. “Then why come?” I snarled. “Just to see me in this horrible state? Just to laugh? Just to get new material for your next play? Why did you come if you can’t offer me the slightest help?!”

The world shimmered and wavered, and I swiped an arm across my eyes to wipe away the tears. When my vision cleared, I saw the two of them standing in front of me. Melpomene’s eyes were achingly kind, and she reached over to take my hand. “Dear Apollo, we _are_ here to offer you help. It’s not much-”

“Just some advice, really,” Thalia continued with an encouraging smile, taking my other hand. “You do have a long, hard road ahead- not gonna lie.”

“We’re here to remind you that your journey has _purpose_ ,” Melpomene stressed. “It has worth and meaning and the potential to help people, both now and for centuries to come.”

Thalia squeezed my hand harder, her eyes bright. “Don’t waste it! Don’t waste this opportunity! Learn compassion and patience from Mel.”

“Draw hope and strength from Thalia,” Melpomene echoed.

“And make your story a story worth _re-_ telling,” they finished together.

The hustle and buzz of the cinema continued around me, but everything seemed very quiet to me as their words sank in. I sighed again, but it was less morose than before. I wasn’t _happy_ about my situation…

But I felt a bit more ready for it.

A small smile lifted one corner of my mouth. “Thank you,” I murmured.

“You’re very welcome,” Thalia responded in kind.

Melpomene’s eyes gave yet another Thalia-twinkle. “And I think by now you can guess who’s been telling the bulk of your story.”

I gave a groan piteous enough to make Hades weep. “Callio-”

“CALLIOPE!” Thalia crowed over me. “And she has promised that your story will be-”

“And we quote…” Mel chimed in.

“ **EPIC!!!** ” the twins bellowed in unison, milking the giant cow. As they dissolved into peals of laughter, I buried my face in my hands and groaned again.

When I looked up, they were gone. Valdez and Calypso had just finished exchanging a glance, and they jumped when they realized that the muses had disappeared. I waved my hand. “Don’t be alarmed; it’s just their way.” I turned my gaze towards the tinted windows. “Muses never stick around for very long.”


End file.
